Brooklyn Girl's Personal Finance Blog

Update on the apartment

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:19:14 PST

We offered 290K.

Realtor believed it was a good offer.
It was declined a day and a half later.

Today (realtor was trying to convince the seller for 2 days) she came back saying she is willing to sell it for 315K.

She is being very emotional about it.
She originally listed...

Made an offer!

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:34:15 PST

Now we have to wait.

We bid on............ #1!

Thank you for all your feedback. I was leaning towards #1 as well, because #2, as wonderful and lovely as it is, was really a financial stretch.

I know the common "stretch at first, you'll be glad later when you grow into...

Our apartment -- here are two final choices with pictures

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:28:54 PST

Sorry about being absent so much - we've were spending all of our free time apartment hunting.

We narrowed it down to 2 choices, in a nice area of Bronx.

Here are their pros and cons.
Apartment 1 (the one I previously described)
Pros: cheap 320K, $700 monthly maintenance
...

Saw 2 apartments I can afford! In Bronx :o. Which one would you choose?

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:19:23 PST

Both have issues.

One is lovely, good light, good condition, walkable to MetroNorth, facing park, good condition and layout. The problem? 2nd beroom and kitchen face a very busy highway that goes out of NYC (traffic never stops there) And you can hear it a little, even with...

Studying a foreign language is a cheap and rewarding hobby.

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:00:13 PST

It is a useful one, no doubt. It helps you connect faster with other people, it makes travel more freeing, authentic and enjoyable, and very often â�� cheaper.

It makes you more open-minded and more familiar with other cultures. It can help your career (I believe speaking 4...

Help me dress DH - a fasion question.

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:43:23 PST

I just bought 2 nice silk ties for DH, now I am thinking how to pair them.

The first one, I think I have an idea.
I think it would go well with a very very light pink shirt and dark navy(almost black) suit. White shirt also good.

The second one, however, is a challenge:...

This was the dream that I lost.

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:33:55 PST

That I came so close to having - it was the best apartment in our price range that I have seen to date:

It was large, it had a tonn of closet space, the views were nice, everything was thought out, it was mint, it was close to the subway, it was in a...

We made another offer! I'm very nervous.

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:27:49 PST

For far more money. Pretty much at the limit of what we can afford: 500K with $1,200 monthly maintenance.
It is a real 1 bedroom though, not Junior.

Can it all work out? I have spend so much time, energy and nerves looking for a place.

I fear that our offer won't be accepted...

September spending totals

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:17:00 PST

rent $994
electric $77
gas $12.94
medical $78
health $49

groceries $417
Lunch me $67.77
Lunch DH $90.68
eating out $172.2

pets $23.87
clothing ...

What the world eats - one week's worth of food

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:58:56 PST

I just came across this slide show on MSN money:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/RaiseKids/what-the-world-eats.aspx?slide-number=1

North Carolina
Cost of a week's worth of food: $377.20
This is 1 photo from an 11 photo slide show (I don't think this...

So many neighbors with financial problems.

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:08:19 PST

I live in a small apartment building and I happen to know financial situations of many neighbors, and I happen to be only one without debt (with the exception of a student loan).

Their problems range from cc debt, to months behind on rent, to collection issues...

I know that...

Made an offer!

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:41:22 PST

For the first time in our lives we made an offer on an apartment (co-op). We offered significantly under the asking price, so I doubt it will be accepted. And there are so many other "ifs" in the arrangement...

But than again, what if?

My birthday gifts

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:22:03 PST

Today is my birthday. I got a brand new ipod Touch (16GB one) and $300 to buy what I would like. And flowers, of course. And hot breakfast in the morning. Not a healthy one, but very delicious(crapes). It is OK on special occasions.

I am now relaxing in a completely clean...

$600-$940 for 1 down pillow?

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:01:13 PST

Scandia down makes probably world's most expensive pillow:
http://www.scandiadown.com/
I really don't know if they are worth it (I guess if you are very rich, maybe).
But since I am not rich, I would not buy a pillow for that much money.

But, there was one on sample sale for...

What would a good friend do?

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:16:30 PST

I have a friend who lives in another city.
She is very inexperienced with men(never had a boyfriend) and does not have a relistic view of anything that has to do with men.

When she is telling me about another guy she met online, from what she is describing, I can see a lot...

Kitchen of a $500,000 apartment

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:18:05 PST

That we are seriously considering. We got as far as requesting co-op financials. This seems like a nice place in a good location. 40 blocks from work. I can walk and not depend on transportation! There is a park, it is a quiet street... I want it.

However, this is a Manhattan...

I need to study for my exam or pay the fee

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:50:46 PST

Final exam for my Chinese class is on Wednesday.
I am disturbingly unprepared. I have not opened a book since I came back from China.
I really need to spend the weekend studying!

My job provides me with opportunity to study the language for free, but if I fail the exam I...

The 100 points game

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:53:23 PST

It is like a financial drinking game.

Any day the DOW is down more than 100 points by 2:50 pm I manually add $100 or $150 to a mutual fund(besides the auto invest for the ROTH) to buy shares based on that day's clothing price.

I look up which sector is falling and try to put...

September - new month, new start

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:51:44 PST

I know I have fell off the wagon for the last few month. I am about to start with new resolve.

In September I will track our expenses to the cent.

My goals are to keep as close to our projected "if we buy a coop" budget as possible.

That includes spending under $500...

Physical processed, life insurance rate is finalized.

inessadax@yahoo.com (nika) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:50:10 PST

So the results of our physicals are in.
There are good news, and there are bad news.

The good news is I am super-preferred.
My rate is even cheaper than what the agent quoted based on my answers.

The bad news is, DH's quote is $72 a month!!!!! at 27! He had a car accident...